Israel commits the “war crime” of “forced transfer” of civilians to Gaza, accuses the NGO Human Rights Watch

“Systematically making large parts of Gaza uninhabitable” constitutes “ethnic cleansing,” the association also believes in a long report.

The Israeli army’s repeated evacuation orders in the Gaza Strip lead to forced population displacements, which is part of the “war crime of forcible transfer”accused the NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a report published Thursday, November 14. The Israeli authorities say they are calling on the inhabitants of entire sections of the territory to evacuate due to military imperatives and thus say they are participating in the protection of civilians.

“Israel should demonstrate in every case that the displacement of civilians is the only option” to comply with international humanitarian law, estimates Nadia Hardman, researcher at HRW. “Israel cannot simply rely on the presence of armed groups to justify the displacement of civilians”she continues. In October, the UN put the number of Gazans displaced by the war at 1.9 million. The total population was estimated at some 2.4 million at the start of the war.

According to HRW, “Israel’s actions also appear to fit the definition of ethnic cleansing” in areas where the army has ordered Palestinians to leave and where they will not be able to return. “Systematically making large parts of Gaza uninhabitable” constitutes “ethnic cleansing”insists HRW spokesperson for the Middle East, Ahmed Benchemsi.